Contests and sweepstakes

Abstract

A system and method that supports activities such as contests and sweepstakes within a social network environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a system that supports contests and sweepstakes within a social network having a plurality of individuals as members, each of the plurality of members having a corresponding personal social network comprising selected members of the social network, the method comprising:
 communicating information to one or more members of the social network to enable each of the one or more members to qualify for entrance in one of a contest and a sweepstake by performing a defined set of tasks, wherein the defined set of tasks relates to communication, by each participant via the system, with members of the participant's personal social network;   accepting as participants in qualifying for the one of a contest and a sweepstake, those of the one or more members matching requirements for participation;   tracking user activity on the system to determine completion by each participant of each task in the defined set of tasks;   entering in the one of a contest and a sweepstake each participant that the tracking determines has completed the defined set of tasks;   publishing status information for the one of a contest and a sweepstake to the one or more members of the social network, via the system; and   choosing one or more entrants as winners of the one of a contest and a sweepstake.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises the participant recommending one of a product and a service to a member of the personal social network of the participant. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises the participant submitting a review of one of a product and a service, for publication via the social network. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises the participant providing aid in choosing one of a product and a service to a member of the social network, via the system. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises submitting an item created by the participant to a designated representative of the system. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises inviting one or more members of the social network to participate in the contest. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , where the defined set of tasks comprises creating a catalog of one or both of products and services selected by the participant, for publication to the members of the personal social network of the participant. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one of a contest and a sweepstake is a sweepstake. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more winners are selected based on the outcome of judging of the completion of the defined set of tasks. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising notifying a participant in the one of a contest and a sweepstake of the number of members of the participant's personal social network that are participants in the one of a contest and a sweepstake. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising notifying a member of the social network when a member of the personal social network of the member is a winner of a contest or a sweepstake. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein status information comprises one or both of the number of members participating in the one of a contest and a sweepstake and the number of entrants in the one of a contest and a sweepstake. 
     
     
         13 . A system that supports contests and sweepstakes within a social network having a plurality of individuals as members, each of the plurality of members having a corresponding personal social network comprising selected members of the social network, the system comprising:
 at least one processor for communicatively coupling to user devices of the plurality of members, the at least one processor being operable to, at least:   communicate information to one or more members of the social network to enable each of the one or more members to qualify for entrance in one a contest and a sweepstake by performing a defined set of tasks, wherein the defined set of tasks relates to communication, by each participant via the system, with members of the participant's personal social network;
 accept as participants in qualifying for the one of a contest and a sweepstake, those of the one or more members matching requirements for participation; 
 track user activity on the system to determine completion by each participant of each task in the defined set of tasks; 
 enter in the one of a contest and a sweepstake each participant that the tracking determines has completed the defined set of tasks; 
 publish status information for the one of a contest and a sweepstake to the one or more members of the social network, via the system; and 
 choose one or more entrants as winners of the one of a contest and a sweepstake. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises the participant recommending one of a product and a service to a member of the personal social network of the participant. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises the participant submitting a review of one of a product and a service, for publication via the social network. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises the participant providing aid in choosing one of a product and a service to a member of the social network, via the system. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises submitting an item of content created by the participant to a designated representative of the system. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the defined set of tasks comprises inviting one or more members of the social network to participate in the one of a contest and a sweepstake. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 13 , where the defined set of tasks comprises creating a catalog of one or both of products and services selected by the participant, for publication to the members of the personal social network of the participant. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein one or more winners are selected based on the outcome of judging of content submitted by the participant. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising notifying a participant of the number of members of the participant's personal social network that are participants in the one of a contest and a sweepstake. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising notifying a member of the social network when a member of the personal social network of the member is a winner of the one of a contest and a sweepstake. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein status information comprises one or both of the number of members participating in the one of a contest and a sweepstake and the number of entrants in the one of a contest and a sweepstake.